Royal Navy, 1804

Letter written by a E.T. Mitchell to his father Rev. T Mitchell in Langport, Somerset, aboard the troop transport ‘Malabar’. He writes that the ship war carrying “about 250 men…to make up the deficiencies caused by the fever in Gibraltar” and provides an account of a skirmish with a Danish vessel “which was anchored in the river with all her me asleep. There was a dreadful crash: we tore away great part of the Danes’ bowsprit, cut her cable to pieces by means of its passing under our keel, damaged our own rigging a good deal, and everyone expected to see our mizzen mast go overboard, as the remaining part of their bowsprit had cut all the ropes which held it on one side”, four pages, loss to paper partially affecting the text, folding marks, 4to, 12 November 1804 Off Northfleet- 13 November 1804 Off Gravesend.